Would you like a job where you can see the results of your hard work on a grand scale? You might like using your practical skills, or have ideas about how public areas should look. Or, you could be interested in technical skills or using machinery, or even planning how something could be built. Either way, the vast and rewarding construction industry has something to offer everyone.
Construction projects are often complex, where there can be up to 60 different jobs involved in one building project. They all have to be done properly, and in the right order, if the building – or structure – is going to be fit for purpose and safe.
In 2023, the Scottish construction industry employed around 197,400 people. 3
There are over 150 occupations in construction and the built environment, in areas including: architecture, building technology and management, civil and structural engineering, construction crafts, landscape architecture, surveying and town and regional planning.
Jobs range from management to technician and craft roles, all requiring a wide variety of skills, and offering a wide range of opportunities and experience.
To see the routes to getting into each of these sectors, take a look at our Career Pathway.
Possible employers include:
The construction industry in Scotland has 13,050 employers which accounts for 14% of all employers in the nation. In 2023 the industry was estimated to have total output of around £13.6 billion which is broadly similar to the UK. Scotland has slightly more industrial output and less commercial than the UK. ¹
According to the Construction Skills Network UK, growth is forecast to be modest for the UK construction industry in 2024, but will pick up from 2025 through to 2028, with opportunities in new housebuilding, infrastructure, and repair and maintenance work. ¹
Employment in the Scottish construction industry is forecast to grow to 203,100 by 2026. It is expected to grow by 2.9% (5,700 people) compared to a Scotland wide increase of 2.2% or 57,000 people. ³
In 2023 the top 3 employing occupations were: skilled construction and building trades (54,900); business and public service professionals (17,700); and science and technology professionals (16,400). The greatest number of construction employment was in the following regions: Glasgow College Region (35,000); Lanarkshire (29,000); Aberdeen City and Shire (28,600); and Edinburgh, East and Lothian (21,000). ³
The current level of recruitment in Scotland has been around 16,000 workers joining, with slightly more leaving each year, meaning workforce levels have dropped and additional recruitment is needed. As employers struggle to find workers, around £30 million will be invested by CITB in this industry to attract new entrants into apprenticeships. ²
In Scotland, it is predicted that the volume of construction work will grow by an annual average of 2.1%, the biggest gains in output coming from the repair and maintenance, and infrastructure sectors. The occupations with the strongest additional recruitment requirement levels are: non-construction professional, IT and other office-based staff; labourers; and other professionals and technical staff working in construction. ²
CITB (Construction Industry Training Board) is the Sector Skills Council for construction industry. You can find more information about the sectors it covers and related careers and training pathways on the CITB website.
1 CSN Industry Outlook - 2024-2028, May 2024
2 Focusing on the Skills Construction Needs, Labour Intelligence Market Report Scotland 2024-2028, Construction Skills Network/CITB/Experian
3 Sectoral Skills Assessment: Construction, October 2023, Skills Development Scotland
4 What do graduates do? Prospects in association with AGCAS (2023/24)
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